Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50
गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
मा रक्ष तस्मादेतान्वै गोरूपव्याघ्रकर्मिणः । हत्वैतानखिलान् दुष्टांस्त्वत्प्रसादान्महीं भजे ॥ ५० ॥
mā rakṣa tasmādetānvai gorūpavyāghrakarmiṇaḥ | hatvaitānakhilān duṣṭāṃstvatprasādānmahīṃ bhaje || 50 ||
Ainsi, ne protège pas ces hommes : d’apparence bovine, ils agissent comme des tigres. Abats tous ces méchants ; par ta grâce, je jouirai de la terre et la gouvernerai.
Unspecified petitioner/supplicant (dialogue context within Narada Purana narrative; addressed to a ruler/protector figure)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It condemns hypocrisy—those who appear gentle and righteous but act violently—and affirms that protecting dharma may require firm punishment of persistent evil.
Bhakti is not mere outward display; sincere devotion aligns with truth and dharma. The verse critiques external “cow-like” appearances that hide predatory conduct, implying that devotion must be inwardly pure and ethically consistent.
No specific Vedanga (Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, Kalpa, Jyotiṣa, Nirukta, Chandas) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is rajadharma—discerning character beyond appearances and acting to restrain adharma.